Visit us in Kew

Pay for research

This is a guide to finding records of the Indian Army during British rule. The vast majority of these records are currently held by the British Library.

The army in India during British rule

East India Company Army – before the formation of the Indian Army, the East India Company raised and maintained its own army which consisted of both indigenous Indian and European troops.

Indian Army – formed in 1859, the Indian Army, before 1947 also referred to as the British Indian Army, fought in both world wars. The British Indian Army was made up of both European officers and Indian soldiers.

British Army – also present in India, alongside the British Indian Army.